Last Comic Standing: Interview with Dan Naturman

By Joan Giglione, June 20, 2004

Remember the comic who said he wanted nothing further to do with LCS? Jokers interviewed him.

After many of us howled to Dan Naturman’s comedic stylings on The Last Comic Standing, many of us were horrified to see him ceremoniously cut from the competition. After all, he was one of maybe 3 of the 20 comedians who received a standing ovation from the audience. Ten comics went forward; Naturman’s name was the glaring omission from the list.

In other words, Dan was fantastic! Hysterical! Witty! Brilliant!

So good that the three celebrity judges, Drew Carey, Anthony Clark, and Brett Butler (the comedienne not the ball player) ripped off their microphones in disgust and complained about it to the producers and the press. Though Clark’s walk off wasn’t captured on the show, it is reported at http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,13654,00.html.

We asked Dan a few questions about Last Comic Standing, his life, Drew Carey, his very sparsely furnished apartment, and his future.

Q: What can people do if they want to see more of you on TV?
A: I'm taping a Comedy Central 1/2 hour special in August. Don't know when it's going to air.

Q: Has NBC done anything to help your career - like a TV pilot (NBC offered a pilot to Kerri Louise called “Comic House”)?
A: NBC has offered me nothing thus far.

Q: You list Last Comic Standing 2 on your web page. Are you still connected to the show?
A: I have no further connection to the show except in people's memories.

Q: Has Drew Carey done anything to help your career since standing up for you on Last Comic Standing?
A: Going to the media in the first place with regard to Last Comic Standing forced them to show the controversy on TV and that has helped a lot.

Q: What are you doing today?
Q: Performing at clubs in New York City.

Q: What would you like to be doing in 5 years?
A: I would love to be doing movies.

Q: What's your favorite food?
A: Nothing beats a good steak.

Q: Given what the audience saw about the sparse furnishings of your apartment, has Bravo approached you for Queer Eye for the Straight Guy?
A: No.

Q: When did you first realize you were funny?
A: I used to make everyone laugh in elementary school. Don't know if I was that funny but I thought I was.

Q: What was the first joke you wrote?
A: When I was on a little league team I used to say we were undefeated. We didn't defeat anyway. Doesn't make much sense but for a sixth grader it's okay.

Q: Which comics have been your biggest inspirations? Which ones really suck?
A: I like Dave Attell, Chris Rock, Mitch Hedberg, Eddie Murphy back in the day. Not gonna go on record as to who sucks.

Q: Where will you be appearing next?
A: In July I'm at “Go Bananas” in Cincinnati. I’m doing clubs in New York City in the meantime.